Liverpool will aim to continue their winning start to the UEFA Champions League campaign when they host German champions Bayer Leverkusen at Anfield on Tuesday evening.
The Reds have won their opening three games of the Champions League in what has been a rollicking start under new boss Arne Slot. They sit in second place with nine points and a goal difference of +5.
The Merseyside outfit are always the favourites at home and certainly, the Kop faithful will make things difficult for Bayer Leverkusen. Arne Slot’s side came from behind to win 2-1 against a strong Brighton & Hove Albion side in the Premier League at the weekend and will enter this mouthwatering continental clash full of confidence.
Liverpool Team News
Ibrahima Konate was a huge doubt for Liverpool after being forced off with his arm in a sling at the weekend against Brighton, but the central defender has now confirmed he will be fit to face Bayer Leverkusen in a major boost for Slot’s side.
Harvey Elliot, Diogo Jota, Federico Chiesa and Alisson Becker are all still sidelined, so Slot will have more or less the same squad that faced the Seagulls in the league.
Predicted Liverpool lineup vs Bayer Leverkusen (4-2-3-1)
Goalkeeper
Caoimhin Kelleher has deputised extremely well in the absence of the injured Alisson in goal. He will be raring to shut up shot as quickly as possible against a strong Leverkusen side.
Defence
Ibrahima Konate declaring himself fit to face Xabi Alonso’s side is a massive lift for the home side. He will slot alongside skipper Virgil van Dijk in central defence in the Liverpool lineup, with the duo tasked to keep Victor Boniface quiet in midweek.
Kostas Tsimikas started at left-back and delivered a strong performance against Brighton on Saturday. However, we could see Slot going with Andy Robertson in the continental clash here. Trent Alexander-Arnold, meanwhile, remains an undisputed starter at right-back in the Liverpool lineup.
Midfield
Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai have been Slot’s preferred midfield trio since the start of the campaign and that is highly unlikely to change when the Reds face Leverkusen.
Gravenberch, one of their standout performers so far this term, will form the double pivot with Mac Allister in the Liverpool lineup, building a strong base for Szoboszlai to thrive in the final third. They will look to take control of the game from the first whistle and overpower the German opponents in the middle of the park.
Wataru Endo and Curtis Jones may get minutes off the bench in the second half.
Attack
Cody Gakpo has been in red-hot form of late and deserves to keep his place in the team, but Slot may mix up things a bit and start Luis Diaz on the left flank. Mohamed Salah is a nailed-on starter on the opposite wing, with Darwin Nunez tasked with leading the Liverpool attack.
The Reds’ front three will look to combine well and cause all kinds of problems to the Leverkusen defence. A player of Gakpo’s quality would be great to bring off the bench against a tiring Leverkusen defence.
